The Attention to Detail Challenge is a recurring challenge in Hell's Kitchen.
Overview[]
For this challenge, Ramsay shows the chefs how to properly prep a certain item, and then, has the chefs prep that item in a certain amount of time to prep how much of that item until judging. After, Ramsay would look at each prepped item the chef hands him, and if they are to his standards, he keeps it and gives that team a point. The team with the most points at the end wins the challenge.
The purpose of this challenge is to test the chef’s skills in properly prepping items before dinner service and to meet Ramsay’s standards.
History[]
Season 1[]
Episode 2 was the first time this challenge was used and when there were 11 chefs left, 6 on the blue team, and 5 on the red team. Known as the Squid Prep Challenge, Ramsay gave both teams 10 minutes to prep as much squid as they could. Because the blue team had an extra person, Michael was forced to sit out but could give verbal instructions to his teammates. The red team won the challenge 6-5 and were rewarded with dinner made by Ramsay himself. The blue team had to prep the remaining squid for the following service and work in their kitchen without air conditioning.[1]
Season 2[]
On Episode 2, the challenge happened when there were 11 chefs left, 6 on the blue team, and 5 on the red team. Known as the Perfect Steak Cut Challenge, Ramsay gave both teams 10 minutes to finely cut a whole beef side into 10-ounce sirloin steaks. Because the blue team had an extra person, Keith was forced to sit out but could give verbal instructions to his teammates. The red team won the challenge 12-11, and they won a helicopter ride to The Saddle Peak Lodge to have lunch with Ramsay. The blue team had to prep the remaining steaks for the following service.[2]
Season 3[]
On Episode 2, the challenge happened when there were 11 chefs left, 6 on the blue team, and 5 on the red team. Known as the Dover Sole Prep Challenge, Ramsay gave both teams 30 minutes to clean as many Dover soles as they could. Because the blue team had an extra person, Aaron was forced to sit out due to his health. The red team won the challenge 9-8, and they won a fishing trip with Ramsay. The blue team had to prep the remaining Dover sole for the following service.[3]
Season 4[]
This season had two prep themed challenges.
Episode 2 (6-Ounce Halibut Challenge)[]
On Episode 2, the first challenge happened when there were 14 chefs left, 7 on both teams. Known as the 6-Ounce Halibut Challenge, Ramsay gave both teams 20 minutes to clean as much halibut as they could. When the score was a 41-point tie, Ramsay asked one chef from each team to select a halibut filet so he could weigh them, which were Ben and Corey. Ben’s 5.9 oz. halibut outweighed Corey’s 4.8 oz. halibut, and the blue team won the challenge. They spent a day onboard a 100-foot superyacht, riding in Rolls-Royce and Bentleys to the marina, while the red team had to prep the halibut, make all the fish stock, and maximize every portion for the next dinner service.[4]
Episode 3 (Chicken Cutting Challenge)[]
On Episode 3, the second challenge happened when there were 13 chefs left, 7 on the blue team, and 6 on the red team. Known as the Chicken Cutting Challenge, Ramsay gave both teams 5 minutes to finely cut a whole chicken into eight pieces. Because the blue team had an extra person, Louross was forced to sit out. Due to Craig’s horrible botching of his chicken, the red team won the challenge 44-24. They went to Saddle Ranch Chop House for lunch, while the blue team had to pick peppers on a 100-acre farm.[5]
Season 5[]
On Episode 2, the challenge happened when there were 15 chefs left, 8 on the red team, 7 on the blue team. Known as the Scallop Cleaning Challenge, Ramsay gave both teams 15 minutes to shuck and clean as many scallops as they could. Because the red team had an extra person, Andrea was forced to sit out. The blue team won the challenge 36-35, and they were rewarded with a trip to Catalina Islands via helicopter. The red team was forced to prep a raw bar for the following service.[6]
Season 6[]
On Episode 2, the challenge happened when there were 15 chefs left, 8 on the red team, 7 on the blue team. Known as the Shrimp Cleaning Challenge, Ramsay gave both teams 10 minutes to prep as many shrimps as they could. Because the red team had an extra person, Lovely was forced to sit out. The blue team won the challenge 45-44, and they were rewarded with a day at Newport Beach for a seafood lunch with Ramsay, as well as a dessert on a 100-foot mega-yacht. The red team was forced to clean shrimps and segmenting lemons for a shrimp cocktail special in the following service.[7]
Season 8[]
On Episode 2, the challenge happened when there were 14 chefs left, 8 on the blue team, 6 on the red team. Known as the Sushi Challenge, Ramsay gave both teams 10 minutes to make a plate of Masaharu Morimoto's signature salmon and cucumber roll and tuna nigari dish. Each team worked in pairs, and each had a specialized Morimoto Knife to work with. After the time limit, Ramsay asked the blue team to drop a pair from judging for equal numbers, and they dropped Trev and Curtis' plate. The blue team won the challenge 16-15. They won the right to keep the knives used in the challenge, along with a trip to Cellar 360 in San Francisco with Ramsay. The red team prepped sushi for the following service and ate squid for dinner.[8]
Season 11[]
On Episode 3, the challenge happened when there were 18 chefs left, 9 on both teams. Known as the Lobster Cleaning Challenge, Ramsay gave both teams 10 minutes to prep as many lobsters as they could. A new rule was added where the chefs must bring their prepped portions to Ramsay during the countdown for judging. After the 10 minutes were up, the red team won 11-8. They spent a day on an 85-foot luxury yacht with a sushi lunch, while the blue team had to take in a delivery of thousands of pounds of halibut and branzino, and prep them for the next service.[9]
Season 12[]
On Episode 2, the challenge happened when there were 19 chefs left, 10 on the red team, and 9 on the blue team. Known as the Basics Relay Challenge, Ramsay had both teams work in pairs to do prep work. These included peeling and deveining a dozen shrimp, breaking down two whole chickens, shucking a dozen oysters, fileting four trouts, and preparing two perfect egg white omelets. Also, they must ride tricycles to their prep station. Because the blue team had one less person, Gabriel went up twice. The blue team won the challenge 5-4, and they went to San Francisco for lunch and a tour on segways. The red team had to pick carrots at a local carrot farm, prep them for the following night’s service, and make both kitchen’s stock.[10]
Season 15[]
On Episode 2, the challenge took place when there were 17 chefs, 9 on the red team, and 8 on the blue team. Known as the Dumplings Challenge, both teams had twenty minutes to make as many baskets of shrimp dumpling dishes. The teams worked in pairs, but because the red team had an extra person, Manda, Meese, and Kristin worked as a trio. Also, Ramsay had multiple distractions going off to test the chef's concentration. The red team won the challenge 13-12, and they went on a helicopter trip to Geoffrey’s in Malibu for a seafood lunch. The blue team pruned 40 logs of mushrooms for a tableside appetizer.[11]
Season 17[]
On Episode 3, the challenge happened when there were 15 chefs left, 8 on the red team, 7 on the blue team. Known as the Seafood Tower Challenge, Ramsay had both teams raced in pairs to complete a seafood tower that contained four tiers. The tiers included; prepping prawns and lobster, shucking oysters, cleaning razor clams and crab legs, and prep manila clams and sea urchin clams with caviar. Because Michelle won a stack cup challenge against Jared, the red team had a thirty second head start over the blue team. In addition, Benjamin went up twice as the blue team were down a member. The blue team finished all their tiers first and won the challenge. They received a seafood lunch at the Ocean Club in Malibu and played soccer against Alyssa Naeher and Julie Johnston. The red team took in 100 pounds of seafood, prepped them and the kitchens for dinner service, and ate a bowl of disgusting fish soup for lunch.[12]
Season 20[]
On Episode 3, the challenge happened with 16 chefs left, 8 on both team. Known as the Whole Squid Prep Challenge, Ramsay had both teams prep an entire squid correctly and gave a small demonstration before he assigned the teams to dive for the squid from the aquarium tank one at a time. The red team won the challenge 16-14 and were rewarded with an off road racing session along with lunch provided by BLT Steak. Meanwhile, the blue team had to participate in seafood delivery day by preparing 50 pounds of squid and later ate calamari sandwiches with many unpleasant sauces for their punishment.[13]
Season 21[]
On Episode 3, the challenge happened with 16 chefs left, 9 on the 20-somethings and 7 on the 40-somethings. Known as the Whole Lobster Prep Challenge, Ramsay had both teams to prep an entire lobster correctly in 10 minutes and gave a small demonstration. After the time limit, Ramsay asked the 20-somethings to drop a pair from judging for equal numbers, and they dropped Alyssa and Ileana's plate. The 20-somethings won the challenge 6-5 and were rewarded with a trip to go-kart, driving high-powered European-style race carts. Meanwhile, the 40-somethings had to prepare seafood stock with fish guts for the seafood risotto and separate mixed rices by grain for their punishment.[14]
Trivia[]
- This was the first team challenge ever used in Hell’s Kitchen.
- Other than Season 4 (for the first challenge), 11, and 20, these challenges occurred when both teams were uneven.[1][2][3][5][6][7][8][10][12][14]
- The red team has won this challenge the most at eight seasons.[1][2][3][5][9][13][14][11]
- Season 8's Sushi Challenge is the only variant where it focuses on creating a dish rather than prepping a specific item.[8]